1334 - A Qualitative Assessment of Drivers of Antimicrobial Prescribing for Pediatric Patients in Diverse Ambulatory Settings

Background: Antimicrobial prescribing rates vary across ambulatory settings and provider types. We sought to identify and compare non-clinical drivers of antimicrobial prescribing for children across diverse outpatient settings.

Methods: We recruited physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) working in primary care, urgent care (walk-in and pediatric after-hours clinics), and retail health clinics affiliated with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Table 1). We conducted in-person or telephone interviews using an interview guide created through an iterative process of literature review and sequential pilot testing with residents and administrators from included settings. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis is ongoing using inductive methods. The study was IRB approved with a waiver of consent.Table 1: Characteristics of interviewed providers


Results: Among the 38 providers interviewed to date, 22 (58%) were APPs. Twenty-eight (74%) interviews were conducted by telephone. In a closed-ended question, most providers (82%) identified “guideline recommended” as the primary factor informing their prescribing decisions. Providers perceived that guideline concordant care was determined by a complex interaction of patient, provider, and setting factors (Figure). A major theme identified by providers was that standardized antibiotic prescribing practices within each clinic setting and the larger community was perceived to inform parental expectations. Additionally, shaping parental expectations in a way that aligns with guidelines is a process that happens over time rather than being a one-time event. (Figure, Table 2)Figure: Diagram of relationship between major categories and select themes
Table 2: Select themes and sample quotes


Conclusion: In all outpatient settings, providers caring for children cited clinical guidelines as the most important factor influencing antibiotic prescribing. Providers felt that adherence to guidelines had downstream benefits including standardization of prescribing practices which may shape parental expectations in a way that aligns with guidelines, thus facilitating guideline-concordant care in future encounters. These findings can inform design of outpatient stewardship interventions. Additional provider recruitment and analysis by provider and setting type is ongoing.